


A Flame In Your Heart

by ClockworkDinosaur



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Drinking, M/M, Post-Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-15
Updated: 2016-09-15
Packaged: 2018-08-15 03:53:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8041480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClockworkDinosaur/pseuds/ClockworkDinosaur
Summary: Magnolia tries to get Hancock to sing on stage at The Third Rail.





	A Flame In Your Heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Doomsday (NecroNova)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/NecroNova/gifts).



> Generic title is generic. [Cinema Sins sin counter ding]
> 
> Inspired by this video partially: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OisJ1gu-ZPE
> 
> Also partially inspired by my lovely girlfriend, who promised me fifty kisses in exchange for this fic. I'm holding her to that ;)
> 
> Maybe it goes without saying because pretty much every Fallout fan knows the song, but it's "I Don't Want To Set The World On Fire" by The Ink Spots.
> 
> I'm actually not sure ghouls can get drunk really but whatever, here's the fic anyways!

It was a rare down night for Hancock. Nate was back at Sanctuary helping Preston with official Minutemen business and would be staying in the settlement for the night. Piper was watching Shaun and probably filling his head with conspiracy theories, if she wasn't too busy keeping the two kids in her care from jumping off the walls and breaking something.

Hancock was on his own in the Third Rail, though considering how many people came up with greetings he was rarely lonely. The bar was full and people made light conversation as he drank.

He was three bottles into the night when he caught sight of Magnolia stepping off-stage and making her way towards him, her dress glimmering in the low light.

He raised his half-empty bottle to her and nodded as she sat next to him him with a smile.

“Hello, Mayor,” she purred. “How lovely to see you in town for a night. How are things out in the wild wild Commonwealth?”

Hancock shrugged. “Never boring, that's for sure.” He drained the liquor and slammed the bottle down. Magnolia raised an eyebrow.

“Are you feeling alright? Never seen you drink so much before. Usually your poison of choice is less liquified,” she said.

“I'm cuttin' back on the Jet and shit. Nate's idea. He didn't say nothin' about booze though.” As if on queue, Whitechapel Charlie floated over and slammed down a bottle with a robotic claw.

“Don' think you ain't paying jus' because you're the mayor, Hancock,” he said sternly before heading away.

“Thanks, pal,” Hancock called back. He turned to Magnolia with an eye-roll. “I own this bar, I think the tin can's forgetting that.”

Magnolia laughed and shook her head.

“There's a pretty good crowd here tonight,” Magnolia said after a comfortable silence spanned a few minutes. “I won't keep them waiting much longer, but you should join me on-stage tonight, Mayor.”

“Ah, you know I don't sing anymore, Mag,” he said, waving a hand.

“Well, you're always welcome to join me for a tune,” she offered before patting his hand and returning to her stage. A few moments later her voice rang through the room over the buzz of the patrons.

“She's talented, huh?” someone said, sliding into the bar stool on the other side of Hancock.

Hancock raised his glass to MacCready, who grinned and patted the Mayor's back in greeting.

“How're ya holdin' up, RJ?” Hancock asked.

“Same as always, don't have time to chat though, I'm actually about to head out,” he said. “Just wanted to tell you to have a good evening, tell Nate I said hey!”

“Will do,” Hancock said, and MacCready left the bar with a wave.

Hancock turned back to his drink and did his best to relax. The hours marched on, people came and went with greetings and pleasantries, and Hancock discovered just how much liquor it took to get a ghoul good and drunk. He stood to make his way to the couch by Magnolia's stage and the room wavered around him, the floor bucking beneath his feet. With difficulty, he made it to the couch and sat down heavily. Magnolia eyed him as she sang the last verse of her song, and stepped down once she finished. She sat next to him with an amused expression.

“Having a good night, Mayor?”

Hancock laughed. “Yeah, it's been alright.” His head lolled forwards and he was vaguely aware that his hat fell off. Magnolia held it out to him and he tipped it in the most gentlemanly way he could manage before putting it back on.

“You're completely gone, aren't you?” she asked.

“Well, if I wasn't already I will be soon,” he said. “'S my night off, Mags. Let me loosen up. Burns outta my system pretty quick anyways.”

Magnolia tilted her head, eyes narrowed coyly. “Well, before you come too far back from booze-ville, what would you say about joining me on stage for just one little number?”

“You're takin' advantage of my inebriated state,” Hancock said with a disapproving shake of his head before grinning. “But how can I say no to a pretty face?”

Magnolia's face brightened and she pulled Hancock to his feet, which were somewhat less clumsy than before. He whispered the title of a song to Magnolia and adjusted his coat. He made his way with confidence to the stage, stepping up to the microphone as the bar crowd cheered for him.

“Now I ain't gonna lie to ya, it's been a few years since I've worked the old pipes like this. I don't want nothin' thrown at this stage.” People laughed and cheered him on. With a wink at Magnolia, she started up the radio. Lyricless music floated from the speakers and in his raspy voice, Hancock began to sing.

_“I don't want to set the world on fire,_

_I just want to start a flame in your heart...”_

His rough voice gave the song a more melancholy feel, and people listened with rapt attention and occasional drunkenly shouted encouragement. Hancock noted with some satisfaction that his voice was almost as good as it used to be before he became a ghoul.

_“In my heart I have but one desire,_

_And that one is you, no other will do...”_

A pair of heavy boots thudded down the steps to The Third Rail and suddenly there was Nate, looking at the stage with wide eyes as he recognized Hancock's voice. Hancock could feel his heart speed up.

_“I've lost all ambition for worldy acclaim,_

_I just want to be the one you love...”_

Black eyes stared into lighter eyes as Nate stood by the entrance a smile spreading across his lips.

_“And with your admission that you feel the same,_

_“I'll have reached the goal I'm dreaming of, believe me...”_

Magnolia had noticed Hancock and Nate's eye contact and quickly brought Nate closer to the stage. People whooped and shouted as Hancock continued the song while staring at Nate, who's face was bright and slightly red.

Hancock finished out the song on a strong note and bowed to the thunderous applause. Stepping offstage, he have a smaller bow to Nate. Nate grinned, taking a step forward and wrapping his arms around the much shorter ghoul.

“I didn't know you can sing,” he said.

“And I didn't know you'd be comin' to The Third Rail tonight; guess we're both full'a surprises,” he replied. Nate laughed.

“Preston and I finished up what we needed a bit before dark, so I decided to head on over. And since Piper's on babysitting duty, we have the whole night to ourselves,” he whispered with a raised eyebrow.

“I think I like where this night is headed,” Hancock half-growled, a mischievous smile playing across his lips. With a wave at Magnolia and the other patrons, Hancock let himself be pulled out of the bar and into the night.

 


End file.
